' That is the Self and that is you, dear Svetaketu...'

The greatest of the great mahavakyas Tat Tvam Asi ( That Thou Art ) originally occurs in the Chandogya Upanishad (c.600 BCE) in the dialogue between Sage Uddalaka Aruni, the father and his son Svetaketu where the doting father explains the relationship between the individual and the Absolute. The poignant beauty here is that Svetaketu is more like a disciple than a son, and Uddalaka more like a teacher than a father.

Tat is the brahman and tvam the divine self, the Atman that resides in all beings. Asi is an affirmation that harmonises the Brahman and Atman.

The statement is frequently repeated in the sixth chapter as the father who is also the teacher instructs his son regarding the nature of brahman, the supreme reality.

***

Sage Uddakala was deeply concerned about his young son Svetaketu. His son had just returned home full of pride in his learning after 12 years of discipleship to an eminent guru.

His father said to him: ‘Svetaketu, I know you have learned a lot, can you tell me by which we hear the unhearable, perceive the unperceivable, know the unknowable?’

‘Sir, I am not aware of that knowledge,’ said Sveteketu.

‘I request you to please teach me that essential thing by which everything else becomes known?’

Uddhakala Aruni answered the question himself.

‘That is Brahman, the truth, the subtle essence of all and the Self. Son, you are aware of the fact that there are many products made out of clay, but the clay is the real thing. Likewise there are also different forms of gold.

Even if the forms and names are lost, the essence of the article is revealed as clay or gold. That essential nature is the ultimate truth.

Forms and names are immaterial to know the Reality, which is the Supreme Being’.

‘Son, by knowing the material cause (gold/clay) all its effects( ornaments/pots) are known. This universe with all its myriad forms and features was earlier with the One and the real Brahman.

That Brahman is the material and intelligent cause of this jagat.

It is the ultimate reality, but it did not create anything, everything is projected out of its own being– but not as a separate entity, for, son,

Brahman is within everything as its own Reality, as its Self, as its subtle essence, and that, my dear Svetaketu, That Art Thou'.

‘Please, sir, I want to know more about this Self.’

'You know dear, the bees make honey by gathering nectar from many flowers, and as all these nectar becomes honey can anyone identify the droplets of the honey to their respective flowers? . Rivers flow into the ocean only to lose their names and forms.

The same is with beings when they merge in that One Being. Whether it is a lion, or a tiger, or a boar, or a worm, all these have their self in him alone. Beings lose their identities on merging with the One Supreme Being which pervades everything and is the source of all things.

The whole universe has That as its soul. That is Reality, That is the Self, and That is you, Svetaketu.

‘Please, sir, tell me more about that subtle essence which is the supreme reality’ said the son.

‘ O.k', said the father, ‘Bring a fruit of that Nyagrodha [Banyan] tree’.

‘Here, sir.'

‘Please Break it.'

‘Yes, sir.'

‘ What do you see'

‘Exquisitely small seeds, sir.'

‘Can you break one of them.'

‘I have split it ‘

‘What do you see?’

‘I see nothing at all, Sir.'

‘Son, can this marvel of a tree come out of nothing. Only you are not able to see the subtle essence in the seed from which this banyan tree has sprung.

That which is the subtle essence is the bed rock of all existence. Dear boy, that which is the finest essence, the whole universe has That as its soul.

That is Reality, That is the Self, and That is you, Svetaketu!'

‘Please, sir, tell me if I can realise it’ said Svetaketu.

‘Now take a few crystals of salt and put them into a bowl of water.'‘ Yes done.' the sage then said, ‘Take out the salt.'‘I can’t, the Salt is dissolved in the water.'

He then asked the boy to taste it from the edge, the middle and the far edge.The boy said it was salty.

Just looking at the water, one cannot assume that the water doesn’t contain salt.

'The Self or Being, which is invisible like salt, pervades all things and that self is you, Svetaketu.'

Everything is alive, only because the living principle, Brahman, inhabits it. When the Self leaves the body, the body dies, but not the Self.

'Now, I understand', said the boy, ' please tell me how could the Being that leaves the body find its way to that One Being? '

'Son, Suppose a person is blindfolded and is left in an unknown wilderness, far away from his place, the first thing he would do is to remove the cover from his eyes, then he would inquire about the logistics and would get a guide to reach his residence.

Similarly a person should acquire knowledge with the help of a guru. The guru will help and guide him to break the bondage of ignorance through experiential knowledge, which is the way to merge with the One Being.

Son, the entire universe is what the Brahman conjures up, projects and dissolves. The sense of 'me' and ' mine' is nothing but ignorance. When this ignorance is destroyed, the true self shines forth '.

Uddalaka who was more like a guru than a father was able to pierce the veil of pride that was masking the brilliance of his son Svetaketu.

The son who was more like a disciple not only got an insight into the knowing of ultimate truth and the real Self also understood that it was only through humility that one can inculcate knowledge and attain wisdom.